Roel Roppel has been appointed as the head of the Sustainability team at ofi, reporting directly to CEO A. Shekhar. Roppel will also join ofi’s corporate leadership team and is highly regarded as an industry leader with extensive experience in both ingredients and sustainability.
Expressing his excitement about his new role, Roppel said, “It’s an honor to lead the ofi Sustainability team, which consists of experts who are deeply committed to our mission. My goal is to expand the reach of ofi’s programs by collaborating with customers and suppliers on the ground to drive positive impact. Together, we will create more opportunities and achieve game-changing outcomes for ofi and our partners.”
Roppel’s previous experience includes senior leadership positions at Cargill and Wild Flavors. He joined ofi’s parent company, Olam Group, in 2013 as the global commercial lead for its spices business. Later, he transitioned to leading the growth of the award-winning sustainability insights management system, AtSource. Recently, Roppel was seconded by Olam Group to co-found TRACT, a digital platform focusing on sustainability measurement in the wider industry.
ofi’s CEO Shekhar commented on Roppel’s appointment, stating, “Sustainability is at the core of ofi’s business model, enabling us to collaborate with customers who prioritize the well-being of farmers and the planet. Roel possesses the perfect combination of strategic vision, business acumen, and commercial leadership, which will inspire the entire ofi team to continuously deliver on our purpose of promoting good food and a healthy future.”
In addition to this appointment, ofi has launched a new commercial platform called ofi F&B Solutions. This platform will be part of the Ingredients & Solutions reporting segment and aims to better support a diverse range of customer requirements.
ofi will continue to provide excellent support to customers who seek single ingredients that cover the entire process from sourcing to manufacturing. The company’s five leading product platforms in Cocoa, Coffee, Dairy, Nuts, and Spices, along with their global origination and sourcing capabilities, competitive sustainability offerings, and extensive expertise in plant science and product innovation, will remain dedicated to serving these customers.
ofi intends to strengthen its services by closely collaborating with the F&B Solutions platform. This collaboration will enable category insight and application development, allowing single ingredient customers to benefit from value-added ingredients and services.
